Conflict Uproots 1.7 Million Ethiopians, Disasters Add 173,000: UNHCR

Conflict has displaced approximately 1.7 million people across Ethiopia, making up the vast majority of the country’s 1.9 million internally displaced population, according to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Natural disasters have driven an additional 173,000 displacements, bringing total internally displaced persons (IDPs) to roughly 1.9 million as of September 30, 2026, according to the agency’s Ethiopia Situation report. The figures underscore the massive scale of forced displacement inside the country, where conflict remains by far the primary driver. Beyond its IDP population, Ethiopia hosts approximately 1.1 million refugees and asylum seekers, while an estimated 157,000 Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers reside in neighboring countries. South Sudanese nationals form the largest refugee population in Ethiopia at 484,365, followed by 364,749 Somalis, 172,209 Eritreans, and 97,114 Sudanese. Smaller groups include 5,674 Kenyans, 2,512 Yemenis, 881 people from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 755 Syrians, alongside populations from Burundi, Djibouti, Lebanon, and Palestine. According to the report, refugees comprise about 60 percent of this total population, with asylum seekers making up the remaining 40 percent. Demographically, adults aged 18 to 59 form the largest group, comprising approximately 43,000 males and 48,000 females. Children aged 5 to 11 account for 27,000, those aged 12 to 17 total about 20,000, and children under five represent roughly 13,000. Seniors aged 60 and above number around 6,000. Regionally, Sudan hosts the largest share of displaced Ethiopians abroad with 64,785 people, followed by Kenya (43,434), Somalia (24,469), Djibouti (15,567), South Sudan (8,690), and Eritrea (15). The report also records 1,031 Ethiopian returnees in 2026, all coming from Sudan. The UNHCR noted that its IDP estimates rely on the latest Displacement Tracking Matrix Ethiopia National Displacement Report, while figures for refugees and asylum seekers reflect data collected up to August 31, 2026, drawing from national governments, the UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).